Just as delicious as hummus and guacamole (read a Mexican chef’s advice on how to make it a success), taramasalata cannot be evaded from the platter served as an aperitif. In supermarkets, it is easily found with its bright pink hue, however, a real tarama is not at all of this color. So rather than buying it ready made, prepare it yourself.
What is the origin of tarama and where to find the real one?
Tarama is a specialty of the Mediterranean basin, Greece and Turkey. It is a preparation made from fish eggs and more precisely from mullet or cod. It is therefore not salmon eggs that make up this spread. It is also good to know that a real tarama does not have the “flashy pink” color that some brands would have us believe. On the contrary, the tarama is actually rather beige, very pale pink or even white.
If you are looking to get real tarama, it is therefore better to turn to specialized shops rather than industrial groups. Rely on the color of the tarama and look carefully at the label of the ingredients that compose it.
Ingredients, white, pink: what is tarama and what is its composition?
The basis of tarama are cod (or mullet) roe. To this, you must add other ingredients including olive oil, lemon, bread crumbs (or boiled potato). Bread and potatoes provide that creamy texture that we love so much. Manufacturers add a dye to give it this “attractive” color. The real attraction, however, lies in its natural side. By mixing all these ingredients, you get a tasty homemade tarama.
Toasts: blinis, Swedish bread, baguette, how to serve tarama?
Usually served with blinis, tarama is eaten with other breads. You can therefore easily accompany it with Swedish bread, pita bread, country bread toast or baguette if you are greedy. The most seasoned will concoct their own bread. Crackers are also a good option to bring a completely different texture to the tasting.
Another solution: serve the tarama in a verrine. In this case, combine it with raw salmon and avocado for a sea-recipe that changes, as an aperitif.
The recipe for homemade tarama
Easy to make, tarama will be even more delicious if you prepare it yourself. So put on your apron and start preparing it.
The ingredients for 4 people :
- 300g smoked cod roe
- 4 slices of bread
- 10 cl of milk
- 15 cl of olive oil
- ½ lemon
- White pepper
The recipe steps:
- Cut and empty the cod roe pouches. Put them in a terrine.
- Crust the slices of bread. Sprinkle them with milk, then squeeze them to remove as much liquid as possible. Then put them in a bowl.
- Add them to the cod eggs, mix then drizzle in the oil, whisking until the tarama has the consistency of mayonnaise.
- Finish with a squeeze of lemon. Pepper the preparation then put everything in the fridge. Enjoy the tarama very fresh.
Advice : To get fish eggs, ask your fishmonger. Some Greek or Oriental grocery stores also sell them.
Read also :
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